(a) The Big Game Management Account is hereby established within the Fish and Game Preservation Fund.
(b) Except as provided in Section 709, all revenues from the sale of antelope, elk, deer, bear, and sheep tags, and wild pig validations, including any fundraising tags or validations, shall be deposited into the Big Game Management Account to permit separate accountability for the receipt and expenditure of these funds. Within 30 days of the date of the sale, the selling nonprofit organization shall send the department 95 percent of the total auction sale price of the tag or validations, with an itemized receipt showing the sale price and the 5-percent reduction retained by the nonprofit organization as a vendor’s fee.
(c) Funds deposited into the Big Game Management Account shall be available for expenditure upon appropriation by the Legislature to the department. These funds shall be expended solely for the purposes set forth in this section and Sections 3951 and 3952, and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 450) of Division 1, Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 4650), and Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 4900), including acquiring land, completing projects, implementing programs to benefit antelope, elk, deer, bear, and sheep, or the use of hunting to manage wild pigs, and expanding public hunting opportunities and related public outreach. Any land acquired with funds from the Big Game Management Account shall be acquired in fee title or protected with a conservation easement and, to the extent possible, be open or provide access to the public for antelope, elk, deer, wild pig, bear, and sheep hunting. The department may also use funds from the Big Game Management Account to pay for administrative and enforcement costs of the programs and activities described in this section. The amount allocated from the account for administrative costs shall be limited to the reasonable costs associated with administration of the programs and activities described in this section.
(d) The department may make grants to, reimburse, or enter into contracts or other agreements, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 1571, with public and private entities, including nonprofit organizations, and federally recognized Indian tribes for the use of the funds from the Big Game Management Account to carry out the purposes of this section, including related habitat conservation projects. In acting pursuant to that authorization, the department shall consider the state’s biodiversity goals.
(e) An advisory committee, as determined by the department, that includes interested nonprofit organizations that have goals and objectives directly related to the management and conservation of big game species and primarily represent the interests of persons licensed pursuant to Section 3031 shall review and provide comments to the department on all proposed projects funded from the Big Game Management Account to help ensure that the requirements of this section are met. The department shall post budget information and a brief description on an internet website for all projects funded from the Big Game Management Account.
(f) A big game project authorized pursuant to this section is not subject to Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code or Article 6 (commencing with Section 999) of Chapter 6 of Division 4 of the Military and Veterans Code.
(g) The department shall maintain the internal accountability necessary to ensure compliance with the collection, deposit, and expenditure of funds specified in this section.
(h) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2024.
(Amended (as added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 469, Sec. 15) by Stats. 2023, Ch. 132, Sec. 79. (AB 1760) Effective January 1, 2024. Operative July 1, 2024, by its own provisions.)